Editorial: Thanks to their lack of leadership, the flawed Invest in Education initiative is the only Arizona school funding measure left standing.

Gov. Doug Ducey and the Legislature’s GOP majority put Arizona voters in a bad spot by failing to provide a revenue source for K-12 funding increases.

The leadership vacuum they created was filled by a flawed ballot measure that raises taxes on the wealthy – and gives voters an awkward and unfair choice.

A leadership vacuum got us here

Here’s how it happened:

Lawmakers crammed votes through an all-night session and approved significant funding increases for schools as #RedForEd protesters held vigil at the Capitol. But lawmakers didn’t create a revenue source.

The citizens initiative may yet earn the support of this editorial board — that is conceivable largely because it is the only solution in play.

Will its populist message resonate? Maybe

CLOSE

Joshua Buckley, a teacher from Red Mountain High School, discusses an initiative filed with the Secretary of State's office on April 27, 2018, that proposes to fund education through an increase in income tax rates.
Wochit

The Invest in Education Act has a Bernie Sanders’ populist appeal about it, which should come as no surprise because it comes from the left-leaning Arizona Center for Economic Progress.

And who knows? It may be a saleable idea even in this conservative state, where the support for teachers and education was robustly displayed before and during the recent #RedforEd led teacher walkout.

The need to continue restoring and enhancing K-12 funding is widely recognized and supported.

If this Democratic-backed ballot measure succeeds, it will be because Republican Ducey and the majority GOP Legislature squandered their opportunity to lead.

Registered Arizona voters who are deciding whether to sign petitions have a tough choice between empty promises and a class-warfare approach to increasing school funding.

Like those who will be asked to sign a petition to put the measure on the ballot, this editorial board is weighing the idea – with all its flaws – against the reality that Arizona is unlikely to have the revenue to keep its brand-new promise to better funding for K-12 education.

Invest in Education may yet earn our support. We’re far from giving it at present.

Here’s what’s certain: Arizona has a welcome new commitment to significantly increase education spending, but no way to pay for it.